PORTSMOUTH, Va. — Seniors in Portsmouth now have a new place to call home at Lexington Reserve, an affordable senior living community built on the former Lincoln Park public housing site.
The development, which opened just days before the holidays, features 105 one- and two-bedroom apartments designed specifically for older adults.
Amenities include a wellness room, activity room, fitness center, club space, and outdoor areas for socializing.
For resident Alice Hill, the move represents both a homecoming and a fresh start.
“Comfortable, quiet, and it’s perfect just for me,” Hill said.
Hill recently moved back to Portsmouth from Kentucky to be closer to her three daughters, nine grandchildren, and 17 great-grandchildren, most of whom live in Virginia.
She picked up her keys just four days ago and has been settling in ever since.
“I’m starting on the kitchen, getting the kitchen squared away, and then I’ve got to get the living room, because I’ve got to get my living room suited and all that squared away,” she said. “Bedroom still squared away. But so far, everything is going perfect.”
City leaders say Lexington Reserve is the second major redevelopment project on the former Lincoln Park site and part of a broader effort to revitalize the area while ensuring longtime residents can remain in their community.
The project is a public-private partnership involving the City of Portsmouth, the Portsmouth Redevelopment and Housing Authority (PRHA), and private developers.
During the grand opening, officials described the community as a visible sign of the city’s commitment to making Portsmouth a place where people can live, work, and play.
“This is more than just a ribbon-cutting. It is a moment that speaks to who we are as a community, and what we value,” the mayor said at the ceremony, calling Lexington Reserve “a brand new, affordable senior living community that represents both progress and purpose for the city of Portsmouth.”
The mayor also highlighted the 105 units as homes for retirees, parents, grandparents, and neighbors, “the people who helped build Portsmouth into the strong and resilient city we are today.”
For PRHA, the focus is on meeting the growing housing needs of older adults.
“Across the country, nearly one-third of seniors are spending more than they can afford on housing, and that number is growing,” said Alisa Winston, executive director of the Portsmouth Redevelopment and Housing Authority. “That’s why what we do matters so deeply. Every time we create safe, modern, affordable homes, we are giving people not just a place to live, but a better life.”
Hill said her children are relieved that she is both nearby and living in a place where she feels secure.
“They like it too. They come here and say, ‘This is all you need. This is what you need just for you,’” Hill said. “And I love it, it’s so beautiful.”
Safety, she added, was one of the biggest reasons she chose Lexington Reserve.
“If you can get it, get it, because you’ll like it,” she said. “It’s beautiful, it’s nice, and it’s very, very safe, because they’ve got cameras everywhere.”
As cheers of “Welcome to Lexington Reserve” rang out during the grand opening, Hill said she’s looking forward to spending the holidays in her own place, and enjoying a fresh start in the city she calls home.
For dozens of seniors like her, Lexington Reserve is more than a new building. It’s a stable, affordable home in the heart of Portsmouth.
